Basem Al Alwan

Associate Professor

King Khalid University

Dr. Basem Al Alwan is an Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering at King Khalid University, Saudi Arabia. His work focuses on advanced energy materials, solid-state batteries, heterogeneous catalysis, and sustainable fuel production. He has held academic appointments in both Saudi Arabia and the United States, including a research sabbatical at Wayne State University, where he developed next-generation solid-state electrolytes for lithium–sulfur batteries


Dr. Al Alwan’s research integrates chemical reaction engineering, catalyst development, renewable fuels, and electrochemical energy storage. He has published more than 60 peer-reviewed papers in energy, catalysis, and materials engineering, with over 900 citations, and has presented at major conferences including AIChE, the Battery & Energy Storage Conference, the North American Catalysis Society Meeting, and international catalysis and materials conferences in the U.S. and Asia. His work spans microwave-assisted biodiesel production, transition-metal catalysts, hydrothermal biofuel upgrading, COx-free hydrogen production, and room-temperature solid-state Na–S and Li–S battery systems.


At King Khalid University, Dr. Al Alwan has served as Chairman of the Chemical Engineering Department, Chairman of the ABET Committee, and Consultant to the Central Laboratories. He has led multiple funded projects in biofuels, hydrogen production, and advanced batteries; and continues to collaborate internationally on catalysis and energy-storage technologies. Over his career, he has mentored undergraduate and graduate researchers, many of whom have contributed to publications and conference presentations.


Dr. Al Alwan’s research vision bridges fundamental materials science with scalable clean-energy solutions. His current projects focus on room-temperature solid-state battery design, transition-metal catalysts for sustainable fuels, and microwave-enhanced reactor engineering—advancing technologies aligned with global priorities in energy security, decarbonization, and sustainable industrial development.

Participates in

TECHNICAL PROGRAMME | Energy Fuels and Molecules

Fueling the Future: Innovations & Strategies for Tomorrow’s Electricity Supply
Forum 13 | Digital Poster Plaza 3
28
April
10:00 12:00
UTC+3
Room-temperature solid-state sodium–sulfur (Na–S) batteries are increasingly recognized as a promising alternative to conventional lithium-ion systems, owing to their inherent safety, cost-effectiveness, and extended cycle life. Despite these advantages, their practical deployment remains constrained by the limited conductivity of sulfur cathodes, large volumetric fluctuations during cycling, and the inadequate performance of existing solid electrolytes, particularly in terms of ionic transport and interfacial stability. To address these issues, this work introduces a novel composite solid electrolyte based on polyaniline (PANI) and polyethylene glycol (PEG), engineered to combine high ionic conductivity with robust mechanical stability. A systematic investigation was carried out by varying the PANI-to-PEG ratios (10:90, 30:70, 50:50, 70:30, and 90:10) and incorporating different loadings of sodium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (NaTFSI) salt (10%, 20%, and 30%). 

 Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements revealed that the 50:50 PANI–PEG electrolyte with 10% NaTFSI achieved the most favorable impedance performance (2400 Ω). Comprehensive characterization, including SEM, XRD, and XPS analyses, confirmed the structural and chemical integrity of the developed composites. When integrated into full coin cells (Na/PANI–PEG electrolyte/S-MWCNT), the materials exhibited stable cycling behavior and competitive specific capacities. These findings demonstrate the effectiveness of PANI–PEG composites as solid electrolytes for Na–S systems, paving the way toward safer and more efficient energy storage technologies that align with global sustainability goals. 
Solid-state sodium–sulfur (Na–S) batteries are emerging as a promising, safer, and more sustainable alternative to conventional systems; however, challenges such as low ionic conductivity and interfacial instability at room temperature still hinder their practical application. In this work, a solid polymer electrolyte (SPE) composed of polyaniline (PANI), gelatin, and sodium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (NaTFSI) was developed and evaluated to address these issues. The effects of four different solvents—toluene, N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), hexane, and tetrahydrofuran (THF)—on the structural and electrochemical properties of the electrolyte were systematically investigated.

Materials were characterized using Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope/energy-dispersive X-ray (SEM/EDX), and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), while electrochemical performance was assessed through electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and battery cycling tests in both full and symmetric cell configurations. The toluene-based electrolyte exhibited superior performance, achieving an ionic conductivity of 4.64 × 10⁻⁴ S·cm⁻¹ and low impedance (~260 Ω) at room temperature. Full Na/S cells showed a total resistance of ~700 Ω and delivered a high initial specific capacity of ~750 mAh/g at 0.1 C. Symmetric Na/SPE/Na cells operated stably at 1 mA/cm² for over 90 hours, demonstrating excellent electrolyte stability and strong resistance to dendrite formation.

FTIR analysis confirmed successful interactions between PANI and gelatin, evidenced by characteristic peaks and an enhanced transmittance band near 2000 cm⁻¹. XRD patterns revealed sharp and well-defined peaks, indicating relatively high crystallinity. SEM/EDX confirmed uniform morphology and elemental distribution, and TGA demonstrated thermal stability up to 350 °C. These findings emphasize the crucial role of solvent selection in tailoring the structural and electrochemical behavior of polymer electrolytes. The developed PANI–gelatin–NaTFSI system shows strong potential as a safe and scalable solid electrolyte for room-temperature Na–S battery applications in energy storage systems.
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